Your employee will be entitled to paid maternity leave for at least 16 weeks. They must take 4 to 6 weeks of this leave in one go right before their due date. To work out the start date of their maternity leave, count back from the day after their due date.   

From the day after your employee has given birth, they are entitled to a minimum of 10 weeks’ leave. They must take 6 of these weeks immediately after the birth. Any remaining leave can be spread out over a period of up to 30 weeks, provided you agree.  

If your employee wants to make such a request, they must do so within 3 weeks of giving birth. You can only refuse their request if you have serious business reasons for doing so. 

If your employee is expecting more than 1 child, their leave will be increased to 20 weeks and they will have to take 8 to 10 weeks’ leave before their due date.    

Please note: Official public holidays are counted as regular maternity leave days.

If the baby comes early or late or has to be hospitalised

If the baby arrives early, your employee will be able to add any unused maternity leave from before the birth to their leave after the birth. If the baby arrives before the maternity leave has started, please contact us by phone.  

In cases where the baby comes late, your employee will continue to be entitled to a minimum of 10 weeks’ leave after giving birth. 

If the baby has to be hospitalised for more than 7 days post-birth, your employee might qualify for up to 9 weeks of extended maternity leave. You will have to apply for extended maternity leave on your employee’s behalf. 

In the event of a premature birth or stillbirth

Should your employee give birth prematurely or experience a stillbirth after the 24^th week of pregnancy but before their maternity leave starts, they will be entitled to paid maternity leave for 16 weeks. 

If your employee gives birth before the 24^th week of pregnancy and reports sick, they will be entitled to a sickness benefit. They are not obliged to share their reason for reporting sick.  

If your employee experiences a stillbirth but is still pregnant because they are having a multiple pregnancy, they will continue to be entitled to paid maternity leave for 8 to 10 weeks before their due date. Until their paid maternity leave is due to start, they will be entitled to a sickness benefit.

Your employee’s maternity pay will equal 100% of their full average daily income (‘dagloon’). Holiday pay is already included in this amount.  

Please note: Your employee’s maternity pay will not be more than the highest average daily income (‘maximumdagloon’). However, you may supplement this if you wish. 

In most cases, the maternity pay will be transferred directly to you. We will do this every 4 weeks. You will then continue paying your employee’s salary in the same way you always have. If you and your employee would prefer to have the maternity pay transferred to your employee, let us know in your application.

If your employee becomes ill during pregnancy or childbirth, they will either fall under your sick leave policy or receive a sickness benefit or maternity pay. The cause of their illness and when it occurred will determine what they will be entitled to.

If your employee becomes ill because of pregnancy, their sickness benefit will equal 100% of their full average daily income. Their sickness benefit will end if they are no longer ill or when their maternity leave starts. 

Illness related to pregnancy or childbirth

If your employee falls ill because of pregnancy or childbirth, but this occurs outside of their maternity leave, they will be entitled to a sickness benefit.

Please note: You must inform us of your employee’s recovery. You will not need to do this if your employee goes on maternity leave before they have recovered from their illness.

Illness not related to pregnancy or childbirth

If your employee’s illness was not caused by pregnancy or childbirth, and it occurs outside of their maternity leave, your general sick leave policy will apply.

Illness in the period that marks the start of the maternity leave

If your employee becomes ill during the 2-week period in which the maternity leave can start (‘flexibiliseringsperiode’), they will receive a sickness benefit for the days they are ill before their maternity leave actually begins. Your employee will receive this benefit regardless of the reason for their illness. 

Keep the following in mind:

• You must report your employee’s illness by the fourth day. 
• Your employee’s absence from work on these specific days will be subtracted from their maternity leave after giving birth. 

Illness during the maternity leave period

If your employee becomes ill while on maternity leave, their maternity pay will continue as usual regardless of the reason for their illness. 

• A change in your or your employee’s circumstances while your employee is on leave. Report this to us by using the Change of circumstances form if your employee is receiving a sickness benefit or maternity pay (‘Doorgeven wijzigingen werknemers met Ziektewet- of WAZO-uitkering’).
• The date on which your employee gave birth. You will only need to report this to us if your employee gives birth before their maternity leave starts or if they are living abroad.
• A change in the start date of your employee’s maternity leave. 
• A trip abroad by your employee while they are receiving maternity pay.